Thread 99 (yes, 99!): Join us for spirited discussions of The Archers and its Top Blokes, whether you're Team Elizabeth (low spirits), Team Kate (Spiritual Home) or Team Toby (spirits =gin)

[Bittermints]

Thanks due to @PseudoBadger for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads and to @DadDadDad for being our resident statistician and keeping the ball rolling when Pseudo stepped back a bit. Thanks also to all those who contributed to the thread title.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you'd like to be Susan's best friend or other odd unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3439443-keep-it-to-yourself-the-archers-spoilers-thread-4, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

So, to business. What a fantastic two-hander. Massive BOOP points to Alison Dowling, the scriptwriter and director (and the therapist). I had more than a small tear in my eye listening to that.

I'm another one with a vote of thanks to chemenger for all that information on the last thread about distilling. I should know some of that because I went on a tour of the whisky distillery near where my parents live but I've forgotten most of it except how delicious the end product is.

it also made me think how 30 years down the line characters like him (Henry for sure, Jack as well) might warrant a two-hander with a therapist
I thought the compare&contrast - the effect of death/serious-illness, the weight of (self-imposed?) expectation on young shoulders - might be with Mia.
But I agree that TA is rewarding listeners-of-longstanding atm.

Many thanks for the new thread, Bittermints.

Team Elizabeth all the way. I have always rather liked her and thought brittle exterior so clearly about needing to 'cope. Amazing episode last night. Agree with SilveryPC about the authenticity of the ugly crying.

Is anyone going to tell Lily what's going on? And would be good to have an update on Freddy. I was hoping for some scenes from the YOI (as we did with Helen when she was in the slammer).

Would it not be wonderful to have each character go to therapy and sum up their pasts in like manner?

I demand a new Ambridge Extra series right now!

Joe first please. Peggy - though she'd be highly resistant. But really, life will be meaningless until it's Ruairi's turn ...

RAFTA
Wouldn't it be BAFRA? (Because we do have the film!)

I suspect the next compare/contrast will be between Elizabeth and Will in relation to reactions to grief.

I have finally listened to the two handler (I’m in the US and have a routine of listening first thing in the morning, just to set myself up for a day of homesickness). Wow, what an incredible 13 minutes. I find myself totally furious with the writers who polished Nigel off for a bit of cheap drama, but maybe it will finally have a point. Elizabeth has always been a great character but often an annoying one, this episode makes a lot of things fall into place. However I feel this is possibly the current writers being exceptionally effective rather than previous ones creating hidden depth in her character, but maybe I’m being unfair. I wonder how much influence the actor has in episodes like this.

I see that the BBC is soon shutting off iPlayer Radio, which is a pain because I don’t think the new version will let me listen here, even though I have a TV license back home. I’ll have to find an alternative way of listening.

chemenger You can subscribe to the podcast, which should be freely available in other countries as well as in the UK. You're right that BBC Sounds won't let you download the programme outside the UK, but either the podcast or live streaming options should still be available. I appreciate love streaming may not be the best option, with time difference.

It wasn't the writers, it was the editor. She was replaced by the ghastly one who gave us the DV SL.

chemengerI listened to TA for over 5 years from outside the UK, using the podcast.

It’s here.

I am a bit of a dinosaur and have for some reason avoided podcasts as yet another thing to have to get the hang of, but now it looks as though I will have to. Have bookmarked the link for when the time comes, thanks Jessie.

Just realised all I need to do is ask Siri to play the Archers and, as if by magic, he finds it for me. I knew he was useful for something other than sending texts while I'm driving.

Imagine David in therapy, the mind boggles.

Blatant place marking. Need to catch up.

I listened to the 2pm repeat whilst sitting in my car in a supermarket car park. I thought the writing was tight and Elizabeth's tear filled rant/wail was utterly convincing. Alison Dowling was brilliant.

Thanks for the new thread bittermints.

Podcasts can be very simple. I use the Overcast app (as recommended by the Giardian). Type "The Archers" in the search function and you can subscribe, it normally arrives about 10 min after the broadcast.
I don't really know how it all works but it's pretty painless.

Oh that was so well written and acted wasn't it? BOOP BOOP di BOOP!

And thanks for the new thread, love the title

chemenger the Archers may turn out to be your gateway drug to the world of podcasts. There's so much out there. Including the Desert Island Disc archives.

thislido that is what I’m most worried about; today the archers, tomorrow the radio 4 comedy podcast, by next week I’m permanently attached to my phone.

I do envy her her therapist. Find yourself a proper psychoanalyst or psychoanalytic psychotherapist, Quater - you won't get away with saying what you think they want to hear and they won't threaten you with the police either!

An Ambridge Extra series would be amazing - imagine a family therapy session for the Brookfield lot!

chemenger

I've morphed to thislido since that's how everyone reads it and I like a lido.

Thanks for the new thread.

It would be nice to mark our next milestone with a smiley from MNHQ.

Just to clarify: our 100th thread is close - it will start on the 8th March. So it may well be the thread that we ride out of the EU...

However, the 100,000th post is a bit further off (it will be on thread 103) - in May, I reckon.

Thanks Bittermints.

I realise I'll probably be the only one, but I actually thought Lizzie was overacted lasted night

I would though love an 'In the psychiatrist's chair' style exploration of each of the characters

Loving your certainty DadDadDad